Posts by John Stasse

Dear Congregation,  What is with calling the close of the worship service with an archaic name all about? After all, that is what it signifies doesn’t it? No, not really. The word Benediction carries the meaning speaking well or speaking a blessing. And that is really the purpose. We have been in the awesome and gracious presence of God, enjoying His grace in mercy…

 Dear Congregation,  Most things we do in worship we do every time we worship – yet some things are more seasonal. The first may suffer from what might be called ‘familiarity contempt’ – we are so used to these things they simply happen. We trust that the various elements of biblical worship are always engaged in as a meaningful reality, but if we are honest, we…

Dear Congregation,  In worshipping God there is of necessity a key place for the Word of God, read and preached. Following the sermon the congregation is encouraged to respond appropriately to the message they have been given. In some churches within the Reformed and Presbyterian tradition the giving of the tithes and offering has always formed part of this response.…

Dear Congregation,  In worshipping God there is of necessity a key place for the Word of God.   Last week we saw from 1 Timothy 4:13-16 that the Pastor is to “give attention to reading” – a reference to the custom of public reading of Scripture in the church’s worship service, followed by the exposition of the passage that had been read. As we noted,…

Dear Congregation, As we return to our understanding of the elements of public worship as a congregation of God’s people let us see next the place of the Public Reading of God’s Word. The importance of God’s Word of course should already be obvious – it is God’s Worship so He should be the one to tell us how He wants that to take place, and He does that not in our…

Dear Congregation,  And the Bible verse of the year in 2020 was… A report in Eternity News this week declared: ‘Makers of The Bible App, the most-used Bible reading app in the world say that the most shared, bookmarked and highlighted verse in 2020 was Isaiah 41:10.’ “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I…

Dear Congregation,  Waiting for Zacharias In Luke 1 we are told of a double waiting for Zacharias. They were waiting for Zacharias to come out from the presence of God in the Temple (v.21) … and then for Zacharias to speak but he could not (v.22). We are told the reason related to his being met by the angel Gabriel while in the Temple as he burned incense to…

Dear Congregation and friends, Tomorrow is Christmas – let us worship the Lord! Christmas means lots of different things to different people – and not all religious. For many it means family, getting together with family and friends, reminding themselves of the priority of relationships and the priority of love, care and generosity within relationships, celebrating and…

Dear Congregation,  God has given us His Call to Worship in which He also assured the worshipper that they may come. To the Call to Worship there must be a proper response of pure worship. As we have seen, we respond in prayer of adoration and confession, being encouraged by an assurance of His grace. But this naturally overflows in song – and song is seen to be a…

Dear Congregation,  In the Call to Worship we are informed that we have come into the majestic presence of the exalted and enthroned Lord of Glory. God has called us to come and worship Him. The way is opened. He has assured the worshipper that they may come. To the Call to Worship there must be a proper response of pure worship. We respond in prayer, and encouraged…